Iran releases more UK embassy staff

All but one of the British Embassy staff arrested in Tehran at the weekend have now been released, Iranian state media has said.

The remaining Iranian national in custody was being held on suspicion of playing a prominent role in recent violence, according to the English language channel Press TV.

Nine employees of the British Embassy were arrested at the weekend amid rapidly deteriorating relations with Iran since the disputed re-election of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Five of those had been released by Monday morning, leaving four in custody.

The Foreign Office confirmed two more had been freed in the past two days, but said it was awaiting confirmation that another had been released on Wednesday.

The weekend arrests intensified the diplomatic row which has escalated between the UK and Iran in recent weeks.

Britain has criticised Iran's crackdown on protesters and curbing of freedoms while the Tehran regime has accused the UK of fomenting the recent unrest.

It said the people arrested at the weekend had played a "considerable role" in stirring up dissent. It had previously expelled two British diplomats from Iran.

There was confusion about the number of releases earlier when Foreign Secretary David Miliband suggested two employees remained in custody, only to be contradicted by local reports.

The Foreign Office was unable to state definitively how many of the embassy staff were being held, describing the numbers as "fluid". But it confirmed later that two staff had been set free and was seeking confirmation of a third release.